I'm New and Have a Menu Challenge (merged)

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ManedWolf

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jan 17, 2007
Messages
16
Location
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Heya,
I just found the site and wanted to say hi and thanks for having me as part of the community. I just started my culinary arts training this week and so far it’s going excellent. My background has been in Retail Business Management, but I’m completely committed to getting into the culinary industry. My short term goal is to get my Red Seal certification. After that I want to open my own restaurant. Since I have no culinary background I have started a new job as a line cook. That decision is based on the fact I honestly feel that as a Chef or Owner my decisions must be based on experience in the jobs I will eventually be asking my employees to do. I don’t look at this as being menial work either, because it’s actually very challenging. I tip my hat to all of you who work in this industry because you have been responsible for countless happy experiences of mine in the past, and I never realized just how hard you all work.
I’ve also been given a challenge, not by the school but by my roommate. His mother will be visiting from another province in mid February. She is a Chef already, and my roommate is quite experienced in the industry. We have a tradition when occasions like this come up. We plan a menu for the meal we will be serving and divide the kitchen work between the two of us. He usually takes care of the entrees and I take care of the Sides, Salad, and Desserts. I do desserts because I’ve always like baking and have done so since I was a kid. He’s planned the core of two potential “Main Dishes” One is an Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, and the other is a stuffed Fillet Mignon. I can figure out the sides for the Fillet but I don’t have a lot of experience with Lamb. I’m trying to impress him and his mother but ultimately want to balance the dish. I’m wondering if anyone out there has some original ideas for sides to go with Lamb. So far I have developed 2 ideas myself:

1)Honey Glazed Squash with Asparagus
2)Jasmine Rice slightly flavored with mint leaves, with a Green Tea steeped with mint as well.

If anyone has any other ideas or suggestions for things to go with this kind of thing I would really appreciate hearing from you.

Jim
 
Welcome Jim!

Are Rosemary Mashed Potatos too mundane? I think they are very nice with lamb.
 
Sauce for the Lamb

Personally, I've always loved potatoes, Sweet or otherwise. The Rosemary is a good idea as well. It feels very good to be able to chase my dream.

The sauce for the lamb will be a Port Demi Reduction with Dijon Mustard. Thats what he planned out so far :)
 
ManedWolf said:
Personally, I've always loved potatoes, Sweet or otherwise. The Rosemary is a good idea as well. It feels very good to be able to chase my dream.

The sauce for the lamb will be a Port Demi Reduction with Dijon Mustard. Thats what he planned out so far :)

Forget the Asian sides with the Jasmine rice and Green tea. The lamb's flavors are French so go with that. You want the sides to match flavor-wise, and to also contrast and compliment color-wise.

Looking at where you're from, you should be able to readily find black truffle butter. If you can find Yukon Gold Potatoes, do a whipped potato or potato mousselline incorporating the truffle butter. Truffles, port, and lamb go very well together.

I like the squash and aspargus idea though. Try to incorporate some fresh herbs like sage with the vegetables, and also some pancetta or bacon. The bacon fat will add a savory layer of flavor to the vegetables that will contrast with the sweetness of the honey and port demi.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I'll check around and see what I cna come up with. The fillets are being stuffed with Portabello Mushrooms, Asparagus and Roasted Garlic. The sauce for them would be Portabelo Mushroom, Red Wine Jus
 
lamb/spam

Hello Iornchef. You claim the Spam capitol of the world as home base. Have you been to the Spam Museum? In Nebraska-or is it N. Dak? Thowe states do tend to blend together once you are east of the badlands. Yep, a large museum, devoted to all aspects of the history of Spam--and the history of the days when Spam was new on the block. Graysmoke
 
ManedWolf said:
Thanks for the feedback. I'll check around and see what I cna come up with. The fillets are being stuffed with Portabello Mushrooms, Asparagus and Roasted Garlic. The sauce for them would be Portabelo Mushroom, Red Wine Jus

Sounds good, but how about doing a bernaise? That way you don't have two wine based sauces for both meats.
 
graysmoke said:
Hello Iornchef. You claim the Spam capitol of the world as home base. Have you been to the Spam Museum? In Nebraska-or is it N. Dak? Thowe states do tend to blend together once you are east of the badlands. Yep, a large museum, devoted to all aspects of the history of Spam--and the history of the days when Spam was new on the block. Graysmoke

Nope, never been there but I've seen in on the Food Network.
 
Thought you'd like this. Have been to the SPAM museum. Also lived in Hawaii, SPAM eating capitol of the universe. I dislike the stuff, but can probably name more ways of preparing SPAM than anyone else here besides certain Hawaiin correspondents! I'm throwing a 50s party for my husband's 60th anniversary, and SPAM will be featured! And yes, I did send SPAM museum post cards to all my friends in Hawaii! SPAM kabobs. Fried SPAM. SPAM saimin. SPAM with eggs for breakfast. Are you ready for this? SPAM sushi (anyone remember what this is called? It seems to me it had a special name but I can't bring it to mind). Oh my goodness. A bartender in Austin asked us if SPAM was seriously eaten that much in Hawaii, she thought it was a propaganda ploy fed to kids growing up there. Yes, they really did, at least in the late 80s, early 90s. SPAM was even on the menu at some of the most high priced, high class restaurants for breakfast and brunch. OUCH.
 
ManedWolf said:
He’s planned the core of two potential “Main Dishes” One is an Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, and the other is a stuffed Fillet Mignon. I can figure out the sides for the Fillet but I don’t have a lot of experience with Lamb. I’m trying to impress him and his mother but ultimately want to balance the dish. I’m wondering if anyone out there has some original ideas for sides to go with Lamb. So far I have developed 2 ideas myself:

1)Honey Glazed Squash with Asparagus
2)Jasmine Rice slightly flavored with mint leaves, with a Green Tea steeped with mint as well.

If anyone has any other ideas or suggestions for things to go with this kind of thing I would really appreciate hearing from you.

Jim
Welcome to DC. :)

Are you having both "mains" during her stay?
I think that the asparagus would go with the lamb but I'm not big on the rice idea. Lamb and potatoes seem like a much better match.
 
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